The present invention has a particularly advantageous application in the field of measuring the light flux emitted by the sun, so as to provide information to systems concerned with air conditioning, temperature regulation, controlling blinds, or home control in general, for example.
In the above preferred technical field, it has been found necessary to determine both the intensity of radiation from the sun and its direction of incidence in order to generate information suitable for use by various processing systems each adapted to a particular one of the intended applications. By determining the direction of incidence of light from the sun, it should be understood that both its azimuth angle and its elevation angle or angular height are measured. The design of such an optoelectronic sensor must therefore be such as to enable it to measure the direction of incidence of solar flux both when the sun is at its zenith and when it is close to the horizon. The sensor must also be designed to retain its measurement qualities even when placed in an environment that subjects it to stresses associated with temperature, moisture, or vibration, for example.